COLUMBUS — It’s very common for kids to hurt themselves while playing on the playground, at home or during recess, but nobody expects the extent of those injuries to be a brain bleed.
July 31, 2022, is a day Stacy Shipley will never forget.
Her son, Maverick Hanson, was celebrating his fourth birthday with family. It was a day filled with fun, love and kids being kids.
“He’s a very active, crazy and always-on-the-go little boy. He keeps us on our toes,” Shipley said.
Shipley says Maverick bumped heads with his 10-year-old brother during the celebration. When she picked him up shortly after the incident, she noticed he was not his usual self.
“When we went somewhere else, I started throwing up in the car,” Maverick said.
Shipley says her nursing background kicked in and she took him to a local hospital in Columbus. A CT scan revealed he had suffered a brain bleed.
Maverick was flown to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
“It was just terrifying. I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be,” Shipley said.
By the time Shipley arrived at Riley Hospital from Columbus, Maverick was in surgery. That surgery was performed by Dr. Laurie Ackerman.
“The first thing that changes is a level of consciousness — How awake someone is and how well they are able to interact,” Dr. Ackerman said.
Doctors told WRTV some other symptoms to look for in relation to a brain injury are vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and sensitivity to light.
“I think it’s really important for parents to know what to watch for,” Shipley said.
Doctors from Riley Hospital say they operate on more than 30 children a year for brain related injuries like Maverick’s.
“If I could tell parents anything, it would be to know the signs of a head injury,” Shipley said.
Dr. Ackerman says parents can do things in an attempt of preventing these injuries, such as having their child wear a helmet while riding a bicycle or on a skateboard.
Maverick celebrated his birthday today and is back to his old self. Shipley knows her son is lucky to be alive.
For more information on brain-related injuries, click here.
